scholarly journals Molecular Determinants of Differential Ligand Sensitivities of Insect Ecdysteroid Receptors

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 3870-3879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng-Fu Wang ◽  
Stephen Ayer ◽  
William A. Segraves ◽  
Daryl R. Williams ◽  
Alexander S. Raikhel

ABSTRACT The functional receptor for insect ecdysteroid hormones is a heterodimer consisting of two nuclear hormone receptors, ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) and the retinoid X receptor homologue Ultraspiracle (USP). Although ecdysone is commonly thought to be a hormone precursor and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), the physiologically active steroid, little is known about the relative activity of ecdysteroids in various arthropods. As a step toward characterization of potential differential ligand recognition, we have analyzed the activities of various ecdysteroids using gel mobility shift assays and transfection assays in Schneider-2 (S2) cells. Ecdysone showed little activation of the Drosophila melanogaster receptor complex (DmEcR-USP). In contrast, this steroid functioned as a potent ligand for the mosquito Aedes aegypti receptor complex (AaEcR-USP), significantly enhancing DNA binding and transactivating a reporter gene in S2 cells. The mosquito receptor also displayed higher hormone-independent DNA binding activity than theDrosophila receptor. Subunit-swapping experiments indicated that the EcR protein, not the USP protein, was responsible for ligand specificity. Using domain-swapping techniques, we made a series ofAedes and Drosophila EcR chimeric constructs. Differential ligand responsiveness was mapped near the C terminus of the ligand binding domain, within the identity box previously implicated in the dimerization specificity of nuclear receptors. This region includes helices 9 and 10, as determined by comparison with available crystal structures obtained from other nuclear receptors. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that Phe529 in AedesEcR, corresponding to Tyr611 in Drosophila EcR, was most critical for ligand specificity and hormone-independent DNA binding activity. These results demonstrated that ecdysone could function as a bona fide ligand in a species-specific manner.

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 5182-5193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumiko Hirose ◽  
Nobuko Ohshima ◽  
Eun-Jeong Kwon ◽  
Hideki Yoshida ◽  
Masamitsu Yamaguchi

ABSTRACT Drosophila melanogaster DNA replication-related element (DRE) factor (dDREF) is a transcriptional regulatory factor required for the expression of genes carrying the 5′-TATCGATA DRE. dDREF has been reported to bind to a sequence in the chromatin boundary element, and thus, dDREF may play a part in regulating insulator activity. To generate further insights into dDREF function, we carried out a Saccharomyces cerevisiae two-hybrid screening with DREF polypeptide as bait and identified Mi-2 as a DREF-interacting protein. Biochemical analyses revealed that the C-terminal region of Drosophila Mi-2 (dMi-2) specifically binds to the DNA-binding domain of dDREF. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that dMi-2 thereby inhibits the DNA-binding activity of dDREF. Ectopic expression of dDREF and dMi-2 in eye imaginal discs resulted in severe and mild rough-eye phenotypes, respectively, whereas flies simultaneously expressing both proteins exhibited almost-normal eye phenotypes. Half-dose reduction of the dMi-2 gene enhanced the DREF-induced rough-eye phenotype. Immunostaining of polytene chromosomes of salivary glands showed that dDREF and dMi-2 bind in mutually exclusive ways. These lines of evidence define a novel function of dMi-2 in the negative regulation of dDREF by its DNA-binding activity. Finally, we postulated that dDREF and dMi-2 may demonstrate reciprocal regulation of their functions.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4104-4111
Author(s):  
L Sistonen ◽  
K D Sarge ◽  
B Phillips ◽  
K Abravaya ◽  
R I Morimoto

Hemin induces nonterminal differentiation of human K562 erythroleukemia cells, which is accompanied by the expression of certain erythroid cell-specific genes, such as the embryonic and fetal globins, and elevated expression of the stress genes hsp70, hsp90, and grp78/BiP. Previous studies revealed that, as during heat shock, transcriptional induction of hsp70 in hemin-treated cells is mediated by activation of heat shock transcription factor (HSF), which binds to the heat shock element (HSE). We report here that hemin activates the DNA-binding activity of HSF2, whereas heat shock induces predominantly the DNA-binding activity of a distinct factor, HSF1. This constitutes the first example of HSF2 activation in vivo. Both hemin and heat shock treatments resulted in equivalent levels of HSF-HSE complexes as analyzed in vitro by gel mobility shift assay, yet transcription of the hsp70 gene was stimulated much less by hemin-induced HSF than by heat shock-induced HSF. Genomic footprinting experiments revealed that hemin-induced HSF and heat shock-induced HSF, HSF2, and HSF1, respectively, occupy the HSE of the human hsp70 promoter in a similar yet not identical manner. We speculate that the difference in occupancy and/or in the transcriptional abilities of HSF1 and HSF2 accounts for the observed differences in the stimulation of hsp70 gene transcription.


Parasitology ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. MAK ◽  
R. C. KO

A novel DNA-binding peptide ofMr∼30 kDa was documented for the first time in the excretory–secretory (E–S) products of the infective-stage larvae ofTrichinella pseudospiralis.Larvae recovered from muscles of infected mice were maintained for 48 h in DMEM medium. E–S products of worms extracted from the medium were analysed for DNA-binding activity by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Multiple DNA-protein complexes were detected. A comparison of theMrof proteins in the complexes indicated that they could bind to the target DNA as a dimer, tetramer or multiples of tetramers. Site selection and competition analysis showed that the binding has a low specificity. A (G/C-rich)-gap-(G/T-rich)-DNA sequence pattern was extracted from a pool of degenerate PCR fragments binding to the E–S products. Results of immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility supershift assay confirmed the authenticity of the DNA-binding protein as an E–S product.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 4380-4389 ◽  
Author(s):  
L I Chen ◽  
T Nishinaka ◽  
K Kwan ◽  
I Kitabayashi ◽  
K Yokoyama ◽  
...  

Studies have demonstrated that the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product, RB, can either positively or negatively regulate expression of several genes through cis-acting elements in a cell-type-dependent manner. The nucleotide sequence of the retinoblastoma control element (RCE) motif, GCCACC or CCACCC, and the Sp1 consensus binding sequence, CCGCCC, can confer equal responsiveness to RB. Here, we report that RB activates transcription of the c-jun gene through the Sp1-binding site within the c-jun promoter. Preincubation of crude nuclear extracts with monoclonal antibodies to RB results in reduction of Sp1 complexes in a mobility shift assay, while addition of recombinant RB in mobility shift assay mixtures with CCL64 cell extracts leads to an enhancement of DNA-binding activity of SP1. These results suggest that RB is directly or indirectly involved in Sp1-DNA binding activity. A mechanism by which RB regulates transactivation is indicated by our detection of a heat-labile and protease-sensitive Sp1 negative regulator(s) (Sp1-I) that specifically inhibits Sp1 binding to a c-jun Sp1 site. This inhibition is reversed by addition of recombinant RB proteins, suggesting that RB stimulates Sp1-mediated transactivation by liberating Sp1 from Sp1-I. Additional evidence for Sp1-I involvement in Sp1-mediated transactivation was demonstrated by cotransfection of RB, GAL4-Sp1, and a GAL4-responsive template into CV-1 cells. Finally, we have identified Sp1-I, a approximately 20-kDa protein(s) that inhibits the Sp1 complexes from binding to DNA and that is also an RB-associated protein. These findings provide evidence for a functional link between two distinct classes of oncoproteins, RB and c-Jun, that are involved in the control of cell growth, and also define a novel mechanism for the regulation of c-jun expression.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 4453-4453
Author(s):  
Tal David-Kalish ◽  
Deborah Rund ◽  
Elad Malik ◽  
Sara Bar Cohen

Abstract CYP3A4 is the most abundant cytochrome P450 enzyme in the liver and is involved in the metabolism of most clinically used drugs. An A to G substitution in the nifedipine responsive element (NFSE) in the promoter of this gene has been found to be associated with a lower incidence of pediatric therapy-related leukemia (Felix, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA95:13176, 1998) and adult therapy-related leukemia (Rund et al, Leukemia, accepted for publication). To study the effect of this polymorphism on gene expression in hematopoietic cells, we constructed reporter plasmids with the luciferase gene (in pGL3E) under control of the CYP3A4 promoter, using both the polymorphic and normal sequences. These plasmids were transfected into several cell lines of hematopoietic origin and luciferase was quantitated. We used KG1a (myeloid leukemia), K562 (CML blast crisis), and as controls, MelA1, a melanoma line and HepG2, a hepatoma line. Experiments were repeated at least three times for each cell line. The results consistently demonstrated 20–30% lower luciferase activity (in KG1a and K562 respectively) using the polymorphic sequence as compared to the normal sequence while the MelA1 and HepG2 lines showed the opposite effect, a 25% higher luciferase expression with the variant sequence. The results for HepG2 were in agreement with those reported by Rebbeck (Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis49:299, 2003). To identify the factors binding at NFSE which may influence expression, electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed using nuclear extracts of both cell lines (K562, KG1a, and HL60) and patient leukemia cells with a DNA probe representing the normal and polymorphic sequences. A gel shift was demonstrated, indicating binding of nuclear extracts to the region of the polymorphism. The database of transacting factors states complete homology of the polymorphic sequence of the NFSE region with the consensus binding site of HSF-1. We therefore performed a series of experiments to determine if HSF-1 is the protein binding at that site. HSF-1 is a multimeric transcription factor which binds to heat shock elements in many promoters which are rapidly transcribed following stress by increases in temperature. We found that recombinant HSF-1 did not bind to the DNA probe alone. However, nuclear extracts of cells which underwent stress by heating to 43°C for one hour (which is known to increase HSF-1 production) demonstrated increased binding to the probe representing the region of the polymorphism and Western blotting demonstrated more HSF-1 in these extracts. Using a Streptavidin-biotin system with a DNA fragment representing the NFSE region, we demonstrated that DNA binding activity to the probe was present in the elution fractions which contained HSF-1, as detected by ECL (enhanced chemoluminescence). Elution fractions which did not show DNA binding activity did not contain detectable HSF-1. We conclude that HSF-1 may be the protein which binds at the NFSE element of the CYP3A promoter but that it binds either as a multimer or as part of a complex of several proteins, which complicates its detection as a DNA binding protein.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 3925-3936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie T. Krug ◽  
Naoki Inoue ◽  
Philip E. Pellett

ABSTRACT As do human herpesvirus 6 variants A and B (HHV-6A and -6B), HHV-7 encodes a homolog of the alphaherpesvirus origin binding protein (OBP), which binds at sites in the origin of lytic replication (oriLyt) to initiate DNA replication. In this study, we sought to characterize the interaction of the HHV-7 OBP (OBPH7) with its cognate sites in the 600-bp HHV-7oriLyt. We expressed the carboxyl-terminal domain of OBPH7 and found that amino acids 484 to 787 of OBPH7 were sufficient for DNA binding activity by electrophoretic mobility shift analysis. OBPH7 has one high-affinity binding site (OBP-2) located on one flank of an AT-rich spacer element and a low-affinity site (OBP-1) on the other. This is in contrast to the HHV-6B OBP (OBPH6B), which binds with similar affinity to its two cognate OBP sites in the HHV-6BoriLyt. The minimal recognition element of the OBP-2 site was mapped to a 14-bp sequence. The OBPH7 consensus recognition sequence of the 9-bp core, BRTYCWCCT (where B is a T, G, or C; R is a G or A; Y is a T or C; and W is a T or A), overlaps with the OBPH6B consensus YGWYCWCCY and establishes YCWCC as the roseolovirus OBP core recognition sequence. Heteroduplex analysis suggests that OBPH7interacts along one face of the DNA helix, with the major groove, as do OBPH6B and herpes simplex virus type 1 OBP. Together, these results illustrate both conserved and divergent DNA binding properties between OBPH7 and OBPH6B.


1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichiro Kako ◽  
Hisanori Wakamatsu ◽  
Toshiyuki Hamada ◽  
Marek Banasik ◽  
Keiko Ohata ◽  
...  

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4356-4362 ◽  
Author(s):  
M N Kanaan ◽  
G A Marzluf

cys-3, the major sulfur regulatory gene of Neurospora crassa, activates the expression of a set of unlinked structural genes which encode sulfur catabolic-related enzymes during conditions of sulfur limitation. The cys-3 gene encodes a regulatory protein of 236 amino acid residues with a leucine zipper and an upstream basic region (the b-zip region) which together may constitute a DNA-binding domain. The b-zip region was expressed in Escherichia coli to examine its DNA-binding activity. The b-zip domain protein binds to the promoter region of the cys-3 gene itself and of cys-14, the sulfate permease II structural gene. A series of CYS3 mutant proteins obtained by site-directed mutagenesis were expressed and tested for function, dimer formation, and DNA-binding activity. The results demonstrate that the b-zip region of cys-3 is critical for both its function in vivo and specific DNA-binding in vitro.


2016 ◽  
Vol 199 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinli Yu ◽  
Hanlin Cai ◽  
Yanfeng Zhang ◽  
Yongzhi He ◽  
Lincai Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Ectoine has osmoprotective effects on Sinorhizobium meliloti that differ from its effects in other bacteria. Ectoine does not accumulate in S. meliloti cells; instead, it is degraded. The products of the ehuABCD-eutABCDE operon were previously discovered to be responsible for the uptake and catabolism of ectoine in S. meliloti. However, the mechanism by which ectoine is involved in the regulation of the ehuABCD-eutABCDE operon remains unclear. The ehuR gene, which is upstream of and oriented in the same direction as the ehuABCD-eutABCDE operon, encodes a member of the MocR/GntR family of transcriptional regulators. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and promoter-lacZ reporter fusion experiments revealed that EhuR represses transcription of the ehuABCD-eutABCDE operon, but this repression is inhibited in the presence of ectoine. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting assays revealed that EhuR bound specifically to the DNA regions overlapping the −35 region of the ehuA promoter and the +1 region of the ehuR promoter. Surface plasmon resonance assays further demonstrated direct interactions between EhuR and the two promoters, although EhuR was found to have higher affinity for the ehuA promoter than for the ehuR promoter. In vitro, DNA binding by EhuR could be directly inhibited by a degradation product of ectoine. Our work demonstrates that EhuR is an important negative transcriptional regulator involved in the regulation of ectoine uptake and catabolism and is likely regulated by one or more end products of ectoine catabolism. IMPORTANCE Sinorhizobium meliloti is an important soil bacterium that displays symbiotic interactions with legume hosts. Ectoine serves as a key osmoprotectant for S. meliloti. However, ectoine does not accumulate in the cells; rather, it is degraded. In this study, we characterized the transcriptional regulation of the operon responsible for ectoine uptake and catabolism in S. meliloti. We identified and characterized the transcription repressor EhuR, which is the first MocR/GntR family member found to be involved in the regulation of compatible solute uptake and catabolism. More importantly, we demonstrated for the first time that an ectoine catabolic end product could modulate EhuR DNA-binding activity. Therefore, this work provides new insights into the unique mechanism of ectoine-induced osmoprotection in S. meliloti.


2016 ◽  
Vol 04 (03) ◽  
pp. 1640012
Author(s):  
Khin Moh Moh Aung ◽  
Michelle Gek Liang Lim ◽  
Shuzhen Hong ◽  
Edwin Cheung ◽  
Xiaodi Su

Forkhead box protein 1 (FoxA1) is a member of the forkhead family of winged-helix transcription factors. It plays crucial roles in the development and differentiation of multiple organs and in the regulation of estrogen-stimulated genes. In this study, in order to determine the regions of FoxA1 necessary for efficient Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) binding, we cloned, expressed and purified a series of FoxA1 constructs that contain either the DNA Binding Domain (DBD), the Transcription Activation Domain (TAD), or both. We determined the DNA binding behavior of these constructs using traditional electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and a recently developed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-based fast screening method. We conclude that just the DBD region alone is not sufficient for protein-DNA binding activity. Amino acids flanking the upstream of the DBD region are required for maximal DNA binding activity. Through this study, we have also further validated the AuNPs assay for its generality and expanded the existing protocol for comparing the DNA binding behavior of multiple proteins of different charge properties and molecular weights.


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